


Coffee Heaven

by MiniNephthys



Series: Deep-Sea Prisoner Reaper's Game [1]
Category: Subarashiki Kono Sekai | The World Ends With You, 灰色庭園 | Haiiro Teien | The Gray Garden
Genre: Gen, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-14
Updated: 2015-04-14
Packaged: 2018-03-22 21:59:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3744925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiniNephthys/pseuds/MiniNephthys
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mr. H and the customer in his cafe apparently go way back.  Neku feels like he's only privy to half a conversation.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Coffee Heaven

There is a customer in WildKat, which would be somewhat remarkable in itself: WildKat seems to have slipped entirely under Shibuya’s radar. Neku can’t help but think the man has some resemblance to Hanekoma. himself, just with better pressed clothing and more bags around his eyes.

The man is smoking as he waits for Hanekoma to make his coffee.

“I thought you never let people smoke inside, Mr. H?” asks Neku. It’s only then that he sees how tense Hanekoma’s shoulders are, only getting tenser when he speaks. It’s weird on him. Neku’s never seen him anything but relaxed, even in the middle of the Game.

The customer puts out his cigarette on the table. “You should have said so, Sanae.”

Hanekoma doesn’t answer that as he sets the coffee down in front of the customer. “One cup exactly the way you like it.”

“Thank you.” The man sees Neku still poking his head inside and sighs. “You can come in, I won’t bite either of your heads off.”

That’s all the invitation Neku needs to satisfy his curiosity. He sits at the bar, a distance away. “So I guess you know each other.”

Hanekoma hmms a bit. “I used to work for him.”

“You still do,” says the man. “If it’s about that Game, we can all agree that not destroying or brainwashing a city is more important than breaking a few rules.”

Hanekoma asks, “How are you going to convince Taffy and the others about that?”

“I’m their boss,” he says. “They’ll have to deal with it.”

Hanekoma cracks a small smile, then turns to Neku. “Same order as usual?”

“Yeah, that’s fine.” Neku is more interested in Hanekoma’s boss than in coffee today. It’s definitely Game-related, not cafe-related, and he doesn’t know a lot about Hanekoma other than him saving his behind a couple times.

“About that next Game,” says the customer.

Hanekoma is facing the coffee machine, but he sounds surprised. “The Game we only talk about in secret? That Game?”

“Rules. I make them. Besides, he already knows about the Game, it won’t kill him to hear it again.” The man takes a sip of coffee, then goes on. “The next round includes someone from that Prosciutto’s castle.”

“From ham?” Neku asks, dubious.

“The most annoying ham you have ever met.” The man doesn’t seem annoyed by the interruption. “I don’t have to tell you this, but considering the manner of her death, I expect her to get at least a fair start. Keep an eye out for her, would you?”

Hanekoma sets Neku’s drink down in front of him, then rubs the back of his neck. “I’m not sure how you’re going to swing having me on duty for the same region of the UG after that last Game.”

The man snorts. “They’ll say, ‘Lord Fumus, he broke all the rules,’ and I’ll say, ‘Yes, but that city would be an empty husk if he hadn’t, and then there would we be?’ And they’ll stare at me in silence for a while and then shuffle off. You’re stuck with Shibuya.”

This time Hanekoma’s smile is wide. “Wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”


End file.
